My basic breakfast scone recipe has been my go-to for a quick weekend breakfast treat. It uses oats, whole-grain flour, and coconut oil instead of butter – so you can really justify it as a healthier alternative to the traditional (and delicious) cheddar and chive. You can also substitute out the milk for oil and water, making this a scrumptious and easy vegan treat!

Ahhh, Sunday mornings, no feeling of rush or perception of time. Just the whole day ahead of you to do whatever you please. I always begin my Sundays by turning on the TV program, “Sunday Morning” at 9am. This was a tradition with my dad and I that I have continued on my own. There’s nothing like the familiarity of Charles Osgoode’s soothing voice talking about the rural farmer-turned toilet seat artist. After sipping on my coffee, that’s when I begin breakfast. Whether it be scones, quiche, or lox, Sunday breakfasts are always something I look forward to. With the weather turning from fall to winter, it seemed appropriate to cook up something comforting.

In need of a little pick-me-up? How about a warm, light, flakey, spiced pumpkin scone, it’s finally the weekend! Our family had these for Thanksgiving breakfast. They took my mom 20 minutes to whip up, and even shorter for my family to devour all of them. Needless to say, I didn’t have much time to snap photos before the vultures (my siblings) swooped in. My mom made me an entire batch today to freeze. She puts them in individual freezer bags, so I can pull them out on the weekends and have a warm breakfast. Go mom!

As the days are getting shorter and the air gets colder, I start to crave warmer and heartier breakfasts. I try to fill up on protein in the mornings, and keep sugar to a minimum, giving me plenty on energy to get me to lunch without a mid-morning snack. For years now, I usually have one of two things for breakfast: a greek yogurt parfait, or a bowl of steel cut oats. The yogurt parfaits generally take me from spring to summer, but when the air gets colder I transition into steel cut oats when I need some warmth to coax me out of bed in the early mornings. Not to brag or anything, but I think I’ve got steel cut oats perfected. My family makes a pot of these every weekend, and I’ve tried every brand of oats, every cooking method (saucepan, crockpot, microwave, and oven), and every flavour combination. I’ve never shared any of these recipes on the blog, but I’m going to start now. (Get ready for my apple-pie oats, coconut cream …

Myth #1: Granola is too difficult to make at home, so I try to pick out the best at the grocery store. Granola is as easy as you want to make it! It’s versatile enough that you can gather ingredients you already have in your pantry. (ie. oats, seeds, dried fruit, coconut etc.). Then, add in a little sweetener (honey, maple syrup, blended medjool dates, brown sugar etc.) and watch it crisp up in the oven for an hour. We’re not harvesting our own oats here!

Ahhh, Sundays. A day made for Netflix, brunching, and napping. What better for a homemade brunch than a twist on a classic? Who else loved roasted broccoli with cheddar cheese as a kid? I used it here as the filling for a potato-crusted quiche. Ie. hash-brown crust! So, next time you have friends over for brunch, you know what to serve. Note: I used a relatively small tart pan, which yields 2 adult human sized servings. I like using tart pans for pies and quiches as well, since the detachable bottom makes it much easier to remove without damaging.

If pancakes don’t scream Sunday morning, I don’t know does. These are so light and fluffy and can be customized to your flavour preference. Lemon-ricotta or coconut cream are easily added in! My favourite is combo is blueberries with more blueberries. I usually add a handful of fresh berries to the batter and then cover in this Blueberry Compote. Ingredients: 3 tbsp butter, melted 2 C flour ¼ C sugar 2 ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 2 ½ C buttermilk 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla Directions: Melt the butter in the microwave and cool. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk and add the buttermilk, vanilla and butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed: do not over mix! It will still look lumpy. Heat a griddle or pan with a small amount of vegetable oil on medium heat, pour batter in, and flip when the bubbles appear on the …

Guilt-free carrot and oat breakfast cookies. These are super soft, packed with oats and nuts, and refined sugar free. Who says cookies can’t be eaten for breakfast? True story: My uncle made a double batch of these one night, and before he got home from work the next day, my aunt had eaten every last one!